title: Self-directed versus traditional classroom training for neonatal resuscitation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Neonatal Resuscitation Program instructors spend most of their classroom time giving lectures and demonstrating basic skills. We hypothesized that a self-directed education program could shift acquisition of these skills outside the classroom, shorten the duration of the class, and allow instructors to use their time to facilitate low-fidelity simulation and debriefing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Novice providers were randomly allocated to self-directed education or a traditional class. Self-directed participants received a textbook, instructional video, and portable equipment kit and attended a 90-minute simulation session with an instructor. The traditional class included 6 hours of lectures and instructor-directed skill stations. Outcome measures included resuscitation skill (megacode assessment score), content knowledge, participant satisfaction, and self-confidence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-six subjects completed the study. There was no significant difference between the study groups in either the megacode assessment score (23.8 [traditional] vs 24.5 [self-directed]; P = .46) or fraction that passed the "megacode" (final skills assessment) (56% [traditional] vs 65% [self-directed]; P = .76). There were no significant differences in content knowledge, course satisfaction, or postcourse self-confidence. Content knowledge, years of experience, and self-confidence did not predict resuscitation skill.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Self-directed education improves the educational efficiency of the neonatal resuscitation course by shifting the acquisition of cognitive and basic procedural skills outside of the classroom, which allows the instructor to add low-fidelity simulation and debriefing while significantly decreasing the duration of the course.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Neonatal Intensive Care, St Joseph Mercy Hospital, 5301 E Huron River Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48106, USA. weinerg@trinity-health.org
authors.forename: Gary M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Weiner
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Menghini
authors.forename: Jeanette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zaichkin
authors.forename: Ann E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Caid
authors.forename: Carrie J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Jacoby
authors.forename: Wendy M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Simon
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003479:Curriculum; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008348:Manikins; D008824:Michigan; D017283:Neonatal Nursing / Q000193:education*; D011380:Programmed Instructions as Topic; D012151:Resuscitation / Q000193:education*; D014741:Video Recording